Steering reach-lod



R. A. lKAPS. STEERING REACH ROD.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 5,1919.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920 2 SHEETS-SHEET i.

Gumy' To a whom may' foncer-fe: l

ile. it known ihai, Bieler@ f lie United Saiee and r i', in he county of Hainilo Sizae'of @him have inveiileil a neriv ai ful improvement in Steering leachllocls of Wlqi h the following specification is a fall diselosure.v

My iriienion relates to-seeriog reach' rods, also termed I"drag liiilisfl principally as applies L* lo forming the rofl from lengths of inl) ng! of different diamesers Coirneejted ogea 1er without hrazing or Welding; to provide a rod having-a Smell ilian'ieter middle seetiozi with larger diaiiieer huh ends, as sockets for hall crank arma.

An objec is o provide a forni of device of liis sor, which shall be simple and economical io manufacture, and in which ilieenaeij/ of the tubing metal is no 'weakened or -ediieeel in lie procesf; oiC forming i oeoao motor vehicles or automobiles "sionedin rods made in eoiitiniions forni.

Another oliject'of the invention o provide a Steering rod having one or holi enila .connected roo-ether teleseopimill;vv one within he olier. with lie end of the inner iihe ex panded against a shoulder provided within the oiiler or larger diainefer iiilie.

Steering reach rods usually have the crank arms of he siem-ingr fears soelieed respectively ino 'the opposite liiih ends of he rofl at an angle ro one, another. tliiaV requiring great accuracy in relatively placing' the keyhole slotsy through the hiihs. to avoid Jhe engagement oi" the neel: portions of lhe crank arms against he edges ol: the slots. which, if perinit'led. canoe a wearing eilt inio the crank arm and ivistingr #crains to die rod.

Another object. therefore. is lo join llie hiihs to the inferiiiediae or link portion so as to he free "co swivel one 'on the other. elimihating the accurate relative angular placing of the key-hole slots in the liihslas in a Qonl'iniioiis solid rod as the hiihs aeeoiiimodaie themselves` to elle relative angle ifo lwhich the Crank arms may he dieposed or moved in the throw of the Steering ;fear or vibrating niotion of che ear. /v

Various other 'features and advantages and eon'ihination of pars will oe more iciillv revealed from the following description o? The aecoiiipanying drawings. 'forming' a part mod elI G a Steering reaelie" tio. more par a iiiohiles. eoii'iprise a `iihiilar or enlarged ends. into iihieli Cram ariiis of lie seering gear are Soelieied. The l new 7 alli; represente a. iV-oiiniioiis piece or inoing from one end t ods oi manif"-l ing he i'iiil ar 'forni1 so as lo deveiop lo. which die iiiiildle por'LA 'luhiilar diameter than t U 'from a la L diamd. a l .sivafring e, middle giorenlarge ila r of:

`inolher ineiioil is to nr '-,ion or the oroi'ier size of ruim nih ends of anoil'ier lare/je Size of l 'todo compres one enfV oi'sai-'l lnih sloel to he Size of lie tubing need for the middle porion and alien Weld.Y hraze or soli/ler i'he hiih eidslo the middle iliorion. The enaeehe neral ander a #waging or i l 'miingr tre; iiieiiv is maeriallv 'reeiiieeo ,e

. ha i ie rod is 'alie ivealies at lie jiiiiieiiire heriveeii e larger and Smaller i'liaineerzs.

iVi'h in v improveinenls. 'the rod i -1 aeriallji' Srenghened ai the 1iiineiire poin' hei iveen lie tivo dii`erent diaineiers.

kRei'eiaino" o the drai.'in;1a 'i and Sent regni-livel;- hall crank arms e downward from lie sieeringf o era'eil hv .Qnialile seeringj f -onlrol kni'iaii irianiier. soci-:ei ai one ena if" second arm e io eonreetions will. runnin;` iivheelsy and @omver-ia inio a lie ,Mile emi oi die verifie i.

sockets atthe opposite ends of the rod may be of duplicate construction or otherwise, to meet the demands ofthe trade. p.

The middle portion 3 o the rod is made from a length 'of tubing of a proper diameter and has its opposite ends respectively engaged into the reduced diameter ends 4 of tubular hub sections or members 5. Each hub 5 is formed of a piece of tubing of larger diameter than 4the tubing 3, formin the middle orton or link or link section o the rod. ne hubsection is compressed at one end to provide an internal diameter corresponding approximately to the external' l diameter of the link section 3. The end 6 off the rod 3 is expanded or annularl flanged over the annular shoulder 7, forme by comressing or reducing4 the diameter of the nib Section5 to the external diameter of the link section 3. This secures thel hub section- 5 to the middle or linkl section 3 against endwise displacement or removal and provides a double thickness of material at the connection or joint of the two parts. The telesclopic union of the twoztubing parts are to allow one part to be swiveled upon the other. Each h'ub section 5 has its wall rovided with an aperture 8 of key-hole outline, with the circular part th'ereot larger in diameter than the hall end oi the crank'arni to permit the ball to be inserted'into the hub and oblong slotted portion, permitting movement of the arm longitudinally ot the huh, and also confining the arm within the hub against lateral displacement. 'llie ball of the crank arm is engaged between two oppoy site socketed pieces or seats, one or both yieldingly urged against the ball. The socket parts may follow any of the well-r so known types of construction and manner fot' arrangement, the dra\\'ings herein disclosing` several different arrangements and methods for confining the socket parts within thc liub. y

In Fig. l, within the hub at the right end oi" the rod the socket piece or seat Si engaging against one side ot the ball of the crank arm 2 has a conical bossed extension 5) engaged into the expanded end oi thc rod il. 5411y 'l`iiis seat is stationary and shoulders against the end of the rod 3 within the hub, and the bosscd portion of the seat serves as an cxpander or reinforcement within the end of v' the rod 3, preventing the end oi the rod 'from collapsing nndci longitudinal or pulling thrusts. 'l`lie opposite scat ll) represents `a steel stamping, providing an internal rcess for one end of tlir spring ll, which yieldingly urges the scat l() against thc ball. rl`lie opposite end oi' the spring engages against an adjusting plug l2 threaded into the end of the hub, and locked against reiuoval by a cotter pin lli passing through apertures in the hub. In thc socket ar- 5 rangement within the hub section at tlic left endofthe rod, the seats 10, 10, are'. of the same construction as the seat l() at theright end ofithe rod, and a spring 11 engages one of theseats, anda nut and a washer or disk 14 resting against the flange end of the rod sectionl 3;, and -the parts held in position by an adjusting plug 12 threaded within the hub sectionand locked b a cotter pin 13. With a spring interpose between the ball and socket member and either opposite end of the tubular member, the internally shouldered end of the hub member is yieldingly engaged with the head end of the link member, thus yieldingly longitudinally restrained, fpreventing rattling, but allowing the rod members to freely swivel upon each other.

In some constructions it is desirable to provide a s ring for each seat at the opposite sides o the ball. Y

-In Fig. 4, the hub sections are shown in :i reversed position from that of Fig. 1. In such instances, the rod section 3 extends into a larger diameter end of the hub through a collar'l threaded into the end ot the hub section and the parts locked against endwise displacement by a wire key 16, formed to loopl around the rod section 3, with its ends bent and engaged into opposite perforations in the hub section 5. This key may be referred to as a spring clip for lockin" the collar 15 within the hub. The reduced end` of the hub is provided with a cap I7; This arrangement of huh section provides an end opening, enabling the same to be conven- 10o iently filled with grease.

"l`he socket seats and retaining parts may be of similar construction, as described in the form shown in Fig. 1, or the seats may n n u I. be provided with expanding bosses bored to provide a grease passage to the ball.

y The intermediate portion or link section may also represent a solid rod with conical or outwardly tapering ends instead of a tube.

Il a ving described my invention, I claim 1. A steering rod connection consisting ot a link section of tubing of a small diameter, a hub section of a tubing of larger diameter than the link section, having one end thereof reduced to an internal diameter of approximately the external diameter ot' the link section engaging and swiveled upon an end oif said link section and providing an internal annular shoulder against which the inserted end of-` the link section is expanded to hold the parts together to prevent longitudinal displacement in one dircction.

2. A steering rod connection comprising several lengths of different diameter. the. length of one diameter providing a link sec tion for the rod and having :in outwardly llanged end. a length of larger diameter providing a huh section for the rod, having lanje end of ille linli.

3. .e'eering reach rod of L of 'lnbing--of clieren diameter united lo gelben comprising a linie: section liavingan .expanded engl anni* a. liuo section o' larger diameter than lie `link section, freely leleeoopieally engaged over lie ejpanded enel of said link section, and provided Wi'ili an inerior annular lShoulder againsj which the expanded end of said link section engages.

. il steering reach rod of several pieces of tubing of dileren iiameer engaged 53ogellier, Comprising a link section having an outwardly expanded end and a lull) section of larger elianetez? ilian 'lle link seeion, having one end compressed, telescopioully engaged and swiveling upon said linl section and provided Wibh a shoulder for engag-amen; with ehe expanded. end .nortion of said link seoion.,

5. A steering reach rod of several pieces of tubing of cliereni diameter eoznpriaing link section having an expande-il enfle a hul) eecs'zion of larger diameter than the linl section, said enel of said link secion engaging one enel of said liub 'section and Vagainst an annular shoulder thereof, the on posite end of said liub secion being compressed and cap lireaflecl upon the conipressed enalof liub section,

A steeifing reach rod comprising u link Section and a tubular hub section having a reduced fliaine-ei enel connected. upon an end of Said. linl; section and free. to swivel thereon. y

T. L seering reach rod Comprising a linl: section and :i tubular luib section having a reduced eliameter end swiveled upon lie end of Said link eenling-lie engaged end of said link eecbion being enlarged to secure ille lino on said linz longiluilinally.

8. A eteerin eaeli rofl. comprising u link seaion 'aubnlar hub secion having' a reduced, diameter en. l leifs-zooicnily engaged several pie 'e ing headed. for longiuclinallyweourin0 saidv ,Y

parts together. b

9. A steering reach rod comprising link section, a uloular hub section havin@ a roduoed flianieer and swiveled upon flie end ol saifl link section. the engaged end of Said. link seeiion being enlarged to secure the liuo on saisi link longiudinally, sockel; ineinbers within said uoular hub section, and a crank arm engaged lirongh an opening in the side ball end bers. V

10. i connecting rofl comprising a link section having a headed enel and a tubular hul) section -liaw'ng an internally shouldered end ooncenrically Y and loosely engaged upon the neaflefl end of said link section for longitudinally coni'leoting Said section and aclanling the sections to swivel one upon. die oillei'.

il. connecting rod comprising a link secion having a headed end and a tubular hul) section having an internally shouldered end eoncenlrically and loosel7 engaged upon lie headed end of said link section for longiudinully connecting said section and adapting the sections to swivel one upon the nher, ne bull Crank und socket members Within said hun member, and Springs interposed between sniil ball and socket members and link head Within the hub section.

l2. .fi connecting rod comprising a link Section having' a headed end and a tubular liuo seoion 'having an .internally shouldered end providing a socket for longitudinally oonnecting said member, a universal joinJ :member housed within said hub section, and tension means engaging said joint members engaged bein/een said socket memancl yieldingly restraining said link and hub members longitudinally.

ln witness whereof l hereunto subscribe my name, as atestefl by the two Subscribing Witnesses.

f A. KPS. V

llvitnesse il. A. Enola,

lll. lll llenan.

of said hul) sect-ion and having a 

